VALDOSTA — The questions being raised by Republican senators concerning the compensation package that the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of America receives is understandable given that the Senate is preparing to vote on a bill that would provide funding for the program for the next five years.
It’s great to have the Senate acting like a watchdog to guarantee that charities are fulfilling the mission they set out to accomplish, but organizations this large answer to an active board of directors. In this case, the board includes actor Denzel Washington, and the CEOs of companies such as Staples, Dr. Pepper, Essence Magazine, Allstate Insurance Company, University of Notre Dame, MIT, Tupperware, Oracle, Sprint Nextel, and Kimberly-Clark, among dozens of others.
If these illustrious heads of some of America’s most successful corporations are in charge of running the organization, it seems they should be the ones answering the Senate’s questions as to why they believe the CEO deserves a large compensation package. And if the board can show the compensation is justified, the senators should apologize for besmirching the name of the Boys and Girls Club of America, and if it’s not, the board members should resign their positions.
Regardless of how this plays out on the national stage, the only thing that should matter here in Valdosta is that the local organization is well run, efficient, and is doing a tremendous good in the community. They provide tutoring services, help with homework, provide a place to go after school instead of an empty house, mentoring services, and more. Children don’t leave the center hungry and, if they are in need, a member of the club’s staff addresses the issue.
Robert Soper, the chief professional officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Valdosta, is understandably protective of the organization and its leadership, and points out that each club is run locally. While receiving support from the national organization, each Boys & Girls Club depends on the community to fulfill its mission.
We know they are doing great things here. That’s all that counts.
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